Nevada County picayune., 1887-08-25
AGRICULTURAL.
Sowing Grass Seed.

WItH Nutdt uI ' e. '"'9 iN'' ''' however. is not just to the grass, nor iS 1t favorable for the best re- sults to the seeding. The so-call- ed foster crop very often robS the grass and exllausts the soil of its needed nutrlmeut. and a very poor catch is the result. If tue soil Is thoroughly well prepared by ma. mring and sufficient tillage, the two crops may grow together very we'll and the grass make good stand. Blu: this is seldom the case except with few farmers, who need no advice or suggestion upon the subject. The great ma iority of farmers need to study is subject, anl understand the requirements of the grass for it's successful culture.
 The preparation of the soil should be very thorough. The land should be plowed deeply, and a liberal coat of manure turned under, not buried, but with the furrows laid over at an angle oi forty five degreeS, so that the ma. nure lies betweed the layers Of soil standing on edge in a sloping manner. The harrow, run along the furrows, works the soil and manure together, mixing them and making them fine ani compact The narrowing should be contin- ued until the whole surface is as smoothe as garden, and the soi is quite fine If the land is clayoy and lumpy, it should be rolled be- tween the harrowings.
 Sowing the seed alone is prefer. able. If any grain crop at all is used, if should be oats in the spring, or buckwheat early in Ju ly, as may be most convenient Excellent seeding has been made early in August with a pound of turnip seed to the acre. This shelters the yonng grass during the winter, and dying, the turnips decay in the spring and afford q most useful fertilizer for the crop. Timothy and clover, and orchard grass and clover, and the three kinds mixed, and orchard grass alone; ;>have been sown in all these three ways with better results than when sown with fall grain and subjected to tue risks of the win ter weather.
 In sowing grass and clover seeds an even stand is desirable. and to secure this, great care is to be ta ken in the sowing. A very good practice is to make the last har. rowing with great care, evenly and with the marks all parallel. Then the sower can follow these marks. first taking the edge of the field and returning six short paces dis. tant from the first course. Then returning on the second course, and always sowing with the right hand to the left. Six feet for each cast IS as much as can be taken with light seed. as orchard grass, blue grass, reG-top, etc.. and as much as should be taken with tim. othy, and the quantity of seed ta- ken nay be readily gauged to the width of the east. The east is made with each movement of the right foot. When the wind is blowing, even slightly, the casts should be made low. to avoid ir. regular dropping of the seed, and whep the light seeds are sown it is easier to walk across the harrow marks when the tracks made are easily seen, and as the wind may carry the seed to one side, the sower may go out of the straight track to accommodate the wind and on returning can easily dis. tmguish the foot marks of the previous track in the soil.
 A broad cast seeder is conVe- nient implement, and cost but ht. tie, and can be carried by the sow CT with case. It drops the seed low, and if the sower goes face to the wind at the start, the seed is not spread mevenly. When, in spite of all care, an irregular seed ing is anticipated, it is we'll to SOW half the seed one way, and cross tue sowing the other way, when racatt spaces may be covered. An experienced sower should prac. tice on the snow. using sand which can be easily seen on the white surface, and in two or three at tempts lie will be able to make the sowing quite evenly.